US4604526A - Position detector - Google Patents

Position detector Download PDF

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Publication number
US4604526A
US4604526A US06/550,479 US55047983A US4604526A US 4604526 A US4604526 A US 4604526A US 55047983 A US55047983 A US 55047983A US 4604526 A US4604526 A US 4604526A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
view
field
target
detector
blade
Prior art date
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Ceased
Application number
US06/550,479
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English (en)
Inventor
Christopher I. Moir
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Micro Control Technology Ltd
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Micro Control Technology Ltd
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Application filed by Micro Control Technology Ltd filed Critical Micro Control Technology Ltd
Assigned to MICRO CONTROL TECHNOLOGY LIMITED reassignment MICRO CONTROL TECHNOLOGY LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: MOIR, CHRISTOPHER I.
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
    • B64C27/00—Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
    • B64C27/00—Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto
    • B64C27/008—Rotors tracking or balancing devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B11/00—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B11/00—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
    • G01B11/16—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01M5/00—Investigating the elasticity of structures, e.g. deflection of bridges or air-craft wings

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a position detector, for example for detecting the position of a movable object but one example is to detect the vertical position of the tips of rotor blades of a helicopter rotor as they rotate so that any lack of uniformity in the deflection of all the blades in the rotor can be detected and corrected.
  • the invention has various aspects, but from one point of view can be considered to embody a position detector comprising means defining an elongate field of view and a target which may carry a reference mark and is capable of being in any of a range of positions along the field of view, and a sensor arranged to scan along the field of view.
  • the advantage of having a reference mark on the target is that the width of the reference mark and its position along the target can be precisely measured, and that can provide reference information from which the actual deflection of the article carrying the target can be determined.
  • the blade itself could act as the target, preferably the trailing edge of the blade, as this would be lower than the leading edge when the pitch of the blade is adjusted for flight conditions.
  • the means defining the elongate field of view could comprise an elongate lens.
  • the sensor could consist of a multi-element linear sensor with electronic means for scanning the elements in a scanning cycle.
  • a target could be positioned on the tip of each rotor blade, extending in the vertical direction with an elongate slot constituting the reference mark of a known width at a known distance from the end of the target strip, and with the field of view and the sensor extending parallel to the length of the target.
  • the invention is quite simple because for daylight use it is not necessary to irradiate the target, and the sensor can be coupled to solid state logic circuits capable of giving a direct indication of the amount of deflection of a helicopter rotor blade or other article which information can be updated as it changes. Of course other types of logic circuit could be used if desired.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front elevation of a helicopter using a sensor in accordance with the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a detail to an increased scale of the tip of a helicopter blade as seen in the direction of the arrow II in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a block schematic diagram of the circuit using the sensor of FIG. 1;
  • FIGS. 4, and 5 are characteristics which arise during use of the sensor.
  • the sensor is for providing an indication of the deflection of the individual blades of a rotating helicopter rotor, and also for providing an indication of any circumferential lag or lead of an individual blade.
  • the sensor embodies a charge coupled device (CCD) 11 which comprises a normally vertical line of sensor elements (256 in the example being described) including an integrated circuit embodying a shift register, so that the electrical charge on each element can be transmitted by way of a control 12 (FIG. 3) to a microprocessor 13, as the elements are scanned in a scanning cycle controlled by the shift register.
  • a control 12 FIG. 3
  • a lens 14 In front of the CCD is a lens 14, which is arranged to focus onto the vertical line of sensor elements, light from a narrow vertical strip field of view indicated generally at 15 in FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • the strip might be about 5 centimeters high at the tip 16 of the helicopter blades, one of which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • the lens inverts the image of the field of view 15 and the elements in the CCD are scanned vertically downwards by the shift register so that the image received is that of a thin vertical slice of background, which will be interrupted regularly by a rotating rotor blade.
  • the tip of each blade carries a depending target strip 17 perhaps 10 centimeters high and 3 centimeters wide having at a known distance ⁇ L ⁇ (perhaps equal to one centimeter) up from the lower edge, a horizontal rectangular hole ⁇ L ⁇ high and nearly as wide as the target strip 17.
  • the signal received by the microprocessor will be as shown in FIG. 4 consisting of a high signal representing peak white for a time ⁇ t ⁇ corresponding to viewing of the clear background below the target, and then a period ⁇ L ⁇ , of low signal represented by the obscuring of light by the bottom of the target, then an equal length period ⁇ L 2 ⁇ of peak white signal as light is received through the hole 18, and finally a low signal black period until the end of the time ⁇ T ⁇ of the scan because of the obscuring of light first by the top part of the target 17 and then by the body of the blade.
  • the time ⁇ t ⁇ before the black signal shown in FIG. 4 will be a measure of the absolute vertical displacement of the lower edge of the target, and hence of the blade in relation to some reference height.
  • the scanning time for the CCD 11 will be shorter than the time it takes for the blade and target to cross the field of view 15, so that several scans are made during the passage of each blade, the lowest reading being taken as the true blade position.
  • the signals from the various blades can be compared so that any variation in the heights of the individual blade tips can be indicated.
  • the circuit of FIG. 3 includes a number of timing counters 19 used for giving signals representing the quantities ⁇ t ⁇ , ⁇ L 1 ⁇ , and ⁇ L 2 ⁇ , as shown in FIG. 4.
  • L 1 and L 2 correspond to the known equal heights of the lowest opaque portion of the target and the hole 18 respectively, and by averaging those values, compensation can be obtained for any errors introduced by any change in the sensing threshold of the logic caused by different levels of lumination.
  • the height corresponding to ⁇ L ⁇ is known, so that ⁇ t ⁇ can be accurately determined in terms of that known height ⁇ L ⁇ . During initial calibration, the blades need not be rotating.
  • a reference pulse is fed into the circuit of FIG. 3 once per revolution of the rotor, and by relating the signals such as shown in FIG. 4 for each of the rotor blades to that reference pulse, any variation of the circumferential position of any blade from the desired equal circumferential spacing can be indicated even if a variation occurs from revolution to revolution.
  • a control circuit 22 monitors the peak video output from the CCD sensor, and one output from this is used to control an iris 21 which is part of lens 14. Thus, the peak output from the CCD sensor is maintained for varying light levels.
  • a second output from the control circuit 22 informs the microprocessor 13 if the light level is too low for satisfactory operation.
  • the microprocessor can then increase the integration time and/or inform the operator that the light level is too low.
  • An output from the microprocessor representing ⁇ t/T ⁇ is converted into an analogue signal in a convertor 24 to drive a meter 25 which is conveniently set so that when the meter indicator is at half full scale deflection the image of the hole 18 is in the centre of the field of view 15.
  • Information from the microprocessor 13 is also sent by way of a serial data interface 26 to a computer which can display the detected information visually.
  • the target 17 can be replaced by one having instead of the hole 18 a highly reflective strip of the same shape facing the camera, and arranged to reflect illumination from a lamp 27 which can in fact be controlled from the microprocessor 13 through a driver 28 to be illuminated only when a blade is due to enter the field of view 15.
  • the signal received is inverted and so will appear as shown in FIG. 5 being "black” for most of the cyclic period ⁇ T ⁇ but being "peak white” for an interval ⁇ L ⁇ corresponding to the reflective strip at the time ⁇ t ⁇ from the start of the scan.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)
  • Optical Radar Systems And Details Thereof (AREA)
US06/550,479 1982-11-10 1983-11-09 Position detector Ceased US4604526A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8232096 1982-11-10
GB8232096 1982-11-10

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US07/194,551 Reissue USRE33097E (en) 1982-11-10 1988-05-16 Position detector

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US4604526A true US4604526A (en) 1986-08-05

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ID=10534165

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US06/550,479 Ceased US4604526A (en) 1982-11-10 1983-11-09 Position detector
US07/194,551 Expired - Lifetime USRE33097E (en) 1982-11-10 1988-05-16 Position detector

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US07/194,551 Expired - Lifetime USRE33097E (en) 1982-11-10 1988-05-16 Position detector

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (2) US4604526A (ja)
EP (1) EP0112031B1 (ja)
JP (1) JPS59135305A (ja)
KR (1) KR840006854A (ja)
CA (1) CA1227330A (ja)
DE (1) DE3373207D1 (ja)
DK (1) DK165427B (ja)
NO (1) NO834090L (ja)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4879202A (en) * 1986-07-11 1989-11-07 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Radiation image storage panel and process for the preparation of the same
DE4329521A1 (de) * 1993-09-02 1995-03-09 Deutsche Forsch Luft Raumfahrt Vorrichtung zur Messung von Rotordaten bei Hubschraubern mit gelenklosen Rotoren zur Bestimmung von Roll- und Nickbeschleunigungen
US5987958A (en) * 1994-11-09 1999-11-23 Amada Company, Ltd. Methods and apparatus for backgaging and sensor-based control of bending operation
FR2882404A1 (fr) * 2005-02-22 2006-08-25 Electricite De France Procede et dispositif pour la surveillance des pales d'une installation eolienne
US20090088922A1 (en) * 2007-09-26 2009-04-02 Gilbert Ronald Mesec Method to detect mechanical faults and dynamic instability in rotor systems of helicopters, tilt rotor aircraft, and whirl towers
US20100063767A1 (en) * 2006-05-17 2010-03-11 Christopher Ian Moir Position Detector
US20110103933A1 (en) * 2008-05-30 2011-05-05 Vestas Wind Systems A/S wind turbine rotor, a wind turbine and use thereof
CN102944361A (zh) * 2012-12-06 2013-02-27 哈尔滨工业大学 直升机旋翼桨叶动平衡参数校准装置
EP3025958A1 (fr) 2014-11-27 2016-06-01 Airbus Helicopters Dispositif de mesure des positions angulaires d'un element de pale de giravion par rapport a un moyeu de rotor, giravion associe et procede de mesure correspondant
US9632000B1 (en) 2014-01-27 2017-04-25 RMCI, Inc. Track measurement by phase-based signal extraction
US10065732B2 (en) 2012-08-21 2018-09-04 Technology For Energy Corporation Systems and methods of tracking rotor blades

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2200985B (en) * 1987-02-03 1991-01-09 Gen Electric Plc Position sensor
US7403294B2 (en) * 2003-03-07 2008-07-22 Boxboro Systems, Llc Optical measurement device and method
FR2876444B1 (fr) * 2004-10-12 2007-06-22 Snecma Moteurs Sa Dispositif de mesure du deplacement axial du sommet des aubes d'une turbomachine pour des essais au sol et procede d'utilisation du dispositif
DE102014223727B4 (de) * 2014-11-20 2019-08-29 Airbus Defence and Space GmbH Vorrichtung zur passiven Rotorblattspitzenbeleuchtung
US9815565B1 (en) * 2015-03-02 2017-11-14 RPX Technologies, Inc. Tracker and vibration analysis system
US20170008621A1 (en) * 2015-07-08 2017-01-12 Honeywell International Inc. Accurate object detection in free space using controlled light source techniques
EP3228541B1 (en) 2016-04-08 2018-06-13 LEONARDO S.p.A. Rotor for a hover-capable aircraft and method for detecting the attitude of a blade with respect to a hub of such a rotor
FR3103785B1 (fr) 2019-11-28 2022-08-12 Airbus Helicopters dispositif et procédé d’identification d’une trajectoire d’une pale d’un rotor pour équilibrage

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2964849A (en) * 1956-11-05 1960-12-20 Fairchild Engine & Airplane Optical tracking system for rotary blade aircraft in flight
US4053227A (en) * 1974-10-07 1977-10-11 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method and apparatus for automatic and contactless measurement of the height of moving blades of a turbine
US4465367A (en) * 1981-11-03 1984-08-14 L'etat Francais Process and device for measuring and adjusting out-of-track distances of helicopter rotor blades

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GB847901A (en) * 1956-01-26 1960-09-14 Chicago Aerial Ind Inc Improvements in or relating to apparatus for determining information about a moving body
GB1116748A (en) * 1964-10-05 1968-06-12 Licentia Gmbh An arrangement on a helicopter for observing or measuring the position of its rotor blades
US3658426A (en) * 1968-09-11 1972-04-25 Itek Corp Alignment telescope
US3856410A (en) * 1972-11-27 1974-12-24 Tracker M Corp Method and apparatus for testing bladed rotors
SE383046B (sv) * 1973-11-12 1976-02-23 G Hellgren Anordning for indikering av ett foremals legesforendringar
JPS533165A (en) * 1976-06-30 1978-01-12 Toshiba Corp Wire bonding apparatus
US4105925A (en) * 1977-03-14 1978-08-08 General Motors Corporation Optical object locator
CH617131A5 (ja) * 1977-11-04 1980-05-14 Radioelectrique Comp Ind
JPS557613A (en) * 1978-06-30 1980-01-19 Sumitomo Heavy Ind Ltd Automatic measuring unit for running speed and cut length for cut material in travelling cutter
DE2928907A1 (de) * 1979-07-18 1981-06-19 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Verfahren zur klassifizierung bewegter ziele
GB2055269B (en) * 1979-08-04 1983-10-05 Emi Ltd Checking the location of moving parts in a machine
US4326804A (en) * 1980-02-11 1982-04-27 General Electric Company Apparatus and method for optical clearance determination
FR2482720A1 (fr) * 1980-05-19 1981-11-20 France Etat Dispositif et procede pour mesurer et regler les ecarts de sillage des pales d'helicoptere

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2964849A (en) * 1956-11-05 1960-12-20 Fairchild Engine & Airplane Optical tracking system for rotary blade aircraft in flight
US4053227A (en) * 1974-10-07 1977-10-11 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method and apparatus for automatic and contactless measurement of the height of moving blades of a turbine
US4465367A (en) * 1981-11-03 1984-08-14 L'etat Francais Process and device for measuring and adjusting out-of-track distances of helicopter rotor blades

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4879202A (en) * 1986-07-11 1989-11-07 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Radiation image storage panel and process for the preparation of the same
DE4329521A1 (de) * 1993-09-02 1995-03-09 Deutsche Forsch Luft Raumfahrt Vorrichtung zur Messung von Rotordaten bei Hubschraubern mit gelenklosen Rotoren zur Bestimmung von Roll- und Nickbeschleunigungen
US5987958A (en) * 1994-11-09 1999-11-23 Amada Company, Ltd. Methods and apparatus for backgaging and sensor-based control of bending operation
US6292716B1 (en) * 1994-11-09 2001-09-18 Amada America, Inc. Method and apparatuses for backgaging and sensor-based control of bending operations
FR2882404A1 (fr) * 2005-02-22 2006-08-25 Electricite De France Procede et dispositif pour la surveillance des pales d'une installation eolienne
US8190393B2 (en) * 2006-05-17 2012-05-29 Moir Christopher I Helicopter blade position detector
US20100063767A1 (en) * 2006-05-17 2010-03-11 Christopher Ian Moir Position Detector
US8041520B2 (en) * 2007-09-26 2011-10-18 Gilbert Ronald Mesec Method to detect mechanical faults and dynamic instability in rotor systems of helicopters, tilt rotor aircraft, and whirl towers
US20090088922A1 (en) * 2007-09-26 2009-04-02 Gilbert Ronald Mesec Method to detect mechanical faults and dynamic instability in rotor systems of helicopters, tilt rotor aircraft, and whirl towers
US20110103933A1 (en) * 2008-05-30 2011-05-05 Vestas Wind Systems A/S wind turbine rotor, a wind turbine and use thereof
US10065732B2 (en) 2012-08-21 2018-09-04 Technology For Energy Corporation Systems and methods of tracking rotor blades
CN102944361A (zh) * 2012-12-06 2013-02-27 哈尔滨工业大学 直升机旋翼桨叶动平衡参数校准装置
US9632000B1 (en) 2014-01-27 2017-04-25 RMCI, Inc. Track measurement by phase-based signal extraction
EP3025958A1 (fr) 2014-11-27 2016-06-01 Airbus Helicopters Dispositif de mesure des positions angulaires d'un element de pale de giravion par rapport a un moyeu de rotor, giravion associe et procede de mesure correspondant
FR3029284A1 (fr) * 2014-11-27 2016-06-03 Airbus Helicopters Dispositif de mesure des positions angulaires d'un element de pale de giravion par rapport a un moyen de rotor, giravion associe et procede de mesure correspondant
KR20160063994A (ko) * 2014-11-27 2016-06-07 에어버스 헬리콥터스 로터 허브에 대한 회전익기 블레이드 엘리먼트의 각도 위치를 측정하기 위한 장치, 연관된 로터, 및 대응하는 측정 방법
KR101705328B1 (ko) 2014-11-27 2017-02-09 에어버스 헬리콥터스 로터 허브에 대한 회전익기 블레이드 엘리먼트의 각도 위치를 측정하기 위한 장치, 연관된 로터, 및 대응하는 측정 방법
US9784572B2 (en) 2014-11-27 2017-10-10 Airbus Helicopters Device for measuring the angular positions of a rotorcraft blade element relative to a rotor hub, an associated rotor, and a corresponding measurement method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO834090L (no) 1984-05-11
DK514183A (da) 1984-05-11
DK514183D0 (da) 1983-11-10
EP0112031A1 (en) 1984-06-27
USRE33097E (en) 1989-10-17
CA1227330A (en) 1987-09-29
KR840006854A (ko) 1984-12-03
DE3373207D1 (en) 1987-10-01
JPS59135305A (ja) 1984-08-03
DK165427B (da) 1992-11-23
JPH0547762B2 (ja) 1993-07-19
EP0112031B1 (en) 1987-08-26

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